Drop cipher apparatus



Dec. 5, 1961 H. KAUPP 3,011,432

DROP CIPHER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. H EN RY KAU PP BY W7 M his A TTOR/VE Y5 Dec. 5, 1961 H. KAUPP 3,011,432

DROP CIPHER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HENRY KAU PP BY WfigW M his ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec.. 5., 1961 3,011,432 DROP CIPHER APPARATUS Henry Kaupp, Glendale, N.Y., assignor to Heller Roberts Manufacturing Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y.,v a corporation of New York FiledAug. 18,1958, Ser. No. 755,707

4 Claims, (Cl. 1-'-88) The present invention relates to rotating numbering machines, and more particularly, to novel and improved Removable wheel segments having on their face var drop cipher apparatus therefor.

' v ious indicia, such as drop ciphers, are old in the rotating numbering machine art. At least one conventional form of rotating numbering machine contains a drop cipher which slides. up and down between the printing or raised position and the dropped position infa channel in the numbering wheel which extends from the periphery of the numbering wheel to the shaft on which the numbering wheel is mounted. The channel length for the con- Ventional drop cipher is relatively short since it extends only from the periphery of the wheel to the shaft, and

the bearing'surface between the drop cipher and the shaft is usually small.

Modern day applications of numbering machines, such as their use in the printing of multiple carbon copyfforms, require that the drop cipher apparatus be able to deliver from 4' to 500 impressions per minute and be able to withstand the pressures necessary to print a-large number of carbon copy forms, for example, carbon copy for-ms. Conventional drop ciphers are unsatisfactory for such use because of the short channel and'the small-bearing surface between the drop cipher andthe shaft. Because It is therefore an object of thisinvention to providea drop cipher apparatus which will withstandhigh pres+ sures.

It is another object of this invention to provide a drop cipher apparatus with a relatively long channel which prevents rocking of the drop cipher. 1-. It is a further object of this invention to provide a dro cipher which is held in position by the shaft so that it will not fall out It is still a further object of thisinvention to provide a drop cipher apparatus wherein the drop ciphers are interchangeable and can therefore be made of an extra hard material. I

One embodiment of the invention comprises a numbering wheel containing an oblique guidechannel'in'to which the drop cipher is' inserted. The center line of the guide channel is offset from a' radial line of the numbering wheel passing through the same point on the periphery of the numbering'wh-eel as the center line ofthe guide chanv v nel by an angle of approximately 15, for example. Due

to the offset, the channel is substantially longer than the radial distance from the point on the numbering wheel to theperiphery of the shaft on which the numberingwheel is mounted, thereby substantially increasing the length of the contact surfaces between the guide channel and the sides of the drop cipher to prevent rocking of the drop cipher in the channeL- v p I The shaft on which the numbering wheel is mounted contains a slot into which a foot on the drop cipher may be inserted whenthe drop cipher is in the dropped position. Upon relative rotation of the numbering wheel and the shaft, the drop cipher is forced up into the raised position with the foot then resting on the periphery of the shaft. This position provides relatively large bearing surfaces between the foot and the shaft and between the sides of the drop cipher and the walls of the channel. A

projecting. lip of the slot in the shaft fits. into-a detent in the drop cipher when the drop cipher is in the dropped position and prevents the drop cipher from returning to the raised position without rotation between the shaft and the numbering wheel. A portion of the dropcipher extends around the shaft and prevents the drop cipher fromfalling out when it is inthe raised position,

This invention may be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures of the drawings .in which:

FIGURE .1 is an exploded view of the dropcipher apparatus including the drop cipher and related parts of the numbering machine constructed in accordance with the invention; i v v FIGURE 2 is -a' view of the drop cipher apparatus with the drop cipher in the dropped position;

FIGURE 3 shows the drop cipher midway between the raised and dropped positions; and 7 FIGURE 4. shows the drop cipher in the raised position.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a shaft 11 is shown with a borehole 13 therethrough for receiving the shaft of the operating arm (not shown). A slot 12 is milledinto the shaft and has a projecting lip 38 on .the'upper edge.

A ratchet wheel 14 has a central aperturelS for mounting on the shaft :11 The ratchet wheel 14 contains four dowel pins 16-19 which are positioned to be inserted into the holes 34-37, respectively, of the numbering wheel 28.

Around the periphery of the ratchet wheel 14 are ten teeth, such as a tooth 20, whichare used to rotate the ratchet wheel 14 and the numbering wheel 28 on the shaft 11 in aconventional manner. The numberingwheel 28 also has a central aperture 33 for mounting on the shaft 11. On the outer periphery of the numbering wheel 28 are nine faces, such as faces 29.

and 30, on which the printing digits are engraved or embossed, for example. An oblique channel 31 is milled into the numbering wheel for receiving a drop cipher 21 having onv its face the printing number 0.

The drop cipher 21 is adapted to be received by the guide channel 31 and has a substantially semi-circular opening 25 which fits around the shaft .1 1. The bottom end of the drop cipher 21 has acurved portion 26 shaped to conform to the curvature of the lower end of the channel 31. A shoulder-27 of the drop cipher 21 rests on an edge 32 of the numbering wheel 28 whenlhe drop cipher 21 is in the dropped position. The bottomface of thejfoot"23 isshap'e'dto c'o'nform'to the curvature'ofl the shaft 11 so that it will rest firmly on the shaft 11 when the drop cipher 21 is in the raisedposition. When the drop cipher 21 is in the dropped position, the foot 23 fits into the slot 152 of the shaft, 'and the projecting lip 38 of the shaft fits into the detenfiz i of the drop cipher 2l and holds the drop cipher in the dropped position; The drop cipher 21 may be raised or dropped by relative rotation of the shaft 11 and the numbering wheel 28.

FIGURE 21s a view of the drop cipher apparatus when completely assembled and with the drop cipher 21 in the dropped position. :The ratchet wheel 14' is fastened to the numbering wheel by the dowel pins 16-19. The shaft 11 is inserted through the holes 15 and 33 of the ratchet wheel 14 and numbering wheel 28, respectively The serted into the channel the outer surfaces will be flush. The ratchet wheel 14 is then inserted into the numbering wheel 28 over the drop cipher and holds the drop cipher 21 in place.

With the drop cipher 21 in the dropped position, the shoe 23 of the drop cipher 21 is inserted into the slot 12 of the shaft. The projecting lip 38 of the slot fits into the detent 24 over the top of the shoe'23 and holds the drop cipher 21 in the dropped position.

FIGURE 3 shows the drop cipher apparatus in a position halfway between the raised and dropped positions and with the ratchet wheel 14 removed. By rotating the numbering wheel 28 counterclockwise, the bottom lip of the slot 512 bears against the bottom of the foot 23 and forces the drop cipher 21 up into the raised position in which it remains during any successive counterclockwise rotation of the numbering wheel 28 relative to the shaft 11. As the numbering wheel 28 rotates counterclockwise, the projecting lip 38 comes out of the detent 24- and no longer holds the drop cipher 21 in the dropped position.

FIGURE 4 shows the drop cipher 21 in the raised position after the shaft 11 and the numbering wheel 28 have made one or more complete relative rotations. In this position, the projecting lip 38 is completely disengaged from the detent 24, the foot 23 of the drop cipher is resting on the periphery of the shaft 11 and the lower portion 25 of the drop cipher 21 extends partially around the bottom side of the shaft 11, thereby preventing the drop cipher from falling out of the numbering machine.

The drop cipher 21 may be reset to the dropped position with respect to the numbering wheel 28. by rotating the numbering wheel 28 counterclockwise about the shaft 11 to the position shown in FIG. 3 and then returning the numbering wheel 28 clockwise while applying pressure to the drop cipher 21.

Thus there is provided in accordance with the invention a novel and improved drop cipher apparatus in which the drop cipher can be placed in either the raised or the dropped position by rotating the numbering wheel relative to the shaft. When the drop cipher is in the dropped position it is positively held in assembled relation with the numbering wheel by the projecting lip of the slot, and when it is in the raised position it is held in assembled relation by the extension of thedrop cipher around the shaft. The improved drop cipher is able to withstand high pressures because the forces are spread out between the large bearing surfaces between the foot and the shaft and between the right side of the drop cipher and the right wall of the channel. Due to the long channel there is a large contact area between the channel walls and the sides of the drop cipher, so that rocking is prevented.

'The'drop cipher of the invention has the added advantage that thedrop ciphers are readily interchangeable. Therefore, the parts can be made of a harder material since they do not have to be individually milled to fit into the numbering machine when a drop cipher fails or has to be replaced. p

' While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects.

Therefore, the invention, described herein is notrto be construed as limited save as is consonant with the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A drop cipher apparatus comprising a shaft, a numbering wheel axially mounted on said shaft, 21 drop cipher and a guide channel in said numbering wheel adapted to receive said drop cipher, said guide channel positioned in said numbering wheel so that the center line of said guide channel is not coincident with a radial line of'said numbering wheel, said shaft retaining said drop cipher in a down position when said shaft is in a first position relative to said numbering wheel, and holding said drop cipher in a raised position when said shaft is in a second position relative to said numbering wheel, said drop cipher having an opening formed in one side adapted to receive said shaft when said drop cipher and said numbering wheel are assembled on said shaft, said opening being formed so that said shaft extends through said opening and retains said drop cipher when said drop cipher is in said raised position, and said opening being long enough to allow said drop cipher to move between said down position and said raised position.

2. A drop cipher apparatus comprising a shaft, a numbering wheel axially mounted on said shaft, an oblique guide channel in said numbering wheel positioned so that the center line of said guide channel does not pass through the center of said numbering wheel, a drop cipher adapted to fit in said guide channel and adapted to move between a raised position and a down position, said drop cipher having an opening formed in. one side, said opening being formed so that said drop cipher extends around said shaft and said shaft retains said drop cipher when said drop cipher is in said raised position, said opening being long enough to allow said drop cipher to move between said down position and said raised position, said shaft and said drop cipher being formed so that the shaft is the only member retaining said drop cipher in said guide channel, so that said drop cipher can be withdrawn by removing the shaft without disassembling the numbering wheel, said shaft having a longitudinalslot in the outer periphery thereof, said drop cipher having a foot which is adapted to fit into said slot in said shaft when said drop cipher is in said down position, said foot being adapted to rest on the periphery of said shaft when said drop cipher is in said raised position, said drop cipher also having a-detent into which a lip of'said slot in said shaft fits to hold said drop cipher when said drop cipher is in said down position, a ratchet wheel containing dowel pins adapted to fit into holes in said numbering wheel for turning said numbering wheel relative to said shaft and preventing movement of said drop cipher in said guide channel in any direction but along the center line of the guide channel.

3. A numbering mechanism, comprising a shaft, a numbering wheel mounted on said shaft, said numbering wheel having a guide channel formed therein in such a position that the center line of said guide channel is not coincident with a radial line of said numbering wheel, a removable wheel segment adapted to be received by said guide channel, "means carried by said shaft for retaining said removable wheel segment in a down position when said shaft is in a first position relative to said numbering wheel-and for holding said removable wheel seg ment in a raised position when said shaft is in a second position'relative to said numbering wheel, an opening formed in one side of said removable wheel segment through which said shaft extends, said shaft being the only member-retaining said removable wheel segment in said guide channel so that said removable wheel segment can be withdrawn by removing the shaft from the opening without disassembling the numbering wheel, said opening in said removable wheel segment being long enough to allow said removable wheel segment to move between said down position and said raised position, and said opening being formed so that said shaft extends through said removable wheel segment and holds said removable wheel segment in place when said drop cipher is in said raised position.

4. A numbering mechanism comprising ashaft, a numbering wheel mounted on said shaft, said numbering wheel having a guide channel formed in one side thereof in such a position that the center line of said guide channel is not coincident with a radial line of said numbering wheel, a removable wheel segment positioned in said guide channel and movable between a down position and a raised position, said removablewheel segment havsaid construction enabling said wheel segment to be re- 10 moved from said guide channel when said shaft is with- 6 drawn but said ratchet wheel being still fastened to said numbering wheel. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v520,976 Wioht June 5, 1894 807,094 Smith Dec. 12, 1905 83 6,742 Dill Nov. 27, 1906 2,241,450 Faas May 13, 1941 2,315,081 Riesenberger Mar. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION .Patent No, 3,011,432 V December 5 1961 ne i'i ilii a pp' It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4-, line 66' for "drop cipher" read removable wheel Segment Signed end sealed this 17th day of A ri'iiwz,

(SEAL) Attest:

ESTON e, JOHNSON I DAVID L. LADD Attestihg Officer Commissioner of Patents 

